WHAT DID LAURA PUT IN OUR TOOLBOX THIS WEEK?

Happy Monday lovely Mommas!  I am sure that I am not alone when I say that I can be my own worst enemy!  That little voice in my head, picking myself apart and saying the worst things about myself!  Why do we sometimes do this?  We would never want our children to do this to themselves…

I came across an amazing Dove commercial that I would like to share with you.  It is in French, with subtitles, but the message is so incredibly beautiful.  Watch it HERE.

When I asked Laura to join Tots N’ Squats to help new Mothers deal with the ups and downs of Motherhood, I had no idea how much her knowledge and advice would help me as a new Mom!

Laura states that: “the key to reducing stress and anxiety is all about finding what works for the individual and being willing to try new skills and activities to do so. I also believe that it is all about our patterns of thinking. Thinking positively is so, so important and I can’t stress it enough.  Thinking positively and replacing negative thinking patterns with positive thoughts, is the number one thing to do to help with anxiety. By doing this, you are “re-training your brain” to think in a healthy way and with practice, positive thinking can become a habit.”

One tool that Laura uses as a therapist is practicing “Positive Affirmations.”  Changing your thoughts from negative ones to more positive ones can be extremely beneficial in helping deal with depression and anxiety.  This can definitely be challenging, but with some time and hard work, it will begin to become second nature to you!

I find that saying positive affirmations can be very helpful.  Motherhood, as incredible as it is, is a job too.  However, unlike other jobs, we do not get verbal positive feedback, work reviews, bonuses for our hard work or credit for all of our effort that we put in each and every day.  It can be hard to think positive, especially when you are home all day talking to babies with nobody talking back. 😉  Saying positive things about yourself serves as a reminder that you are doing an incredible job and that you are an incredible Mom!

I found a great website with a long list of “Positive Affirmations For The New Mom:” HERE.  Give them a read, pick out the ones that resonate with you and practice saying these when you find that silly little inner voice starting to spiral into negativity!

Thank you, Laura!

Kelly S & O xo

*Note: if you feel as though your anxiety and depression is too much to deal with, definitely seek advice from a professional therapist. 🙂